Half Term Activities with Children in Harrogate
October 27, 2021https://harrogate.mumbler.co.uk/days-out/free-activities/
We have always enjoyed the Pump Room Museum- has activities for children during half term.
At The Yorkshire Event Centre there’s the Indoor Funfair opens from 08:30 - running 3 hour sessions
https://indoorfunfair.org/tickets/harrogate/
Valley Gardens has a large children’s play area and cafes - If you keep walking up hill on right hand side and you get to Harlow Carr RHS Gardens - you can also drive there- large free car parks
In town there’s a shop called “Pots to Go - you can paint pottery, have it fired and collect it or they will send it out to you - You need to book. Good for wet days.
RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr- they have children’s play areas and lay on special things for children- there’s also a famous tea room run by Betty’s- free parking or a walk through the Valley Gardens (located in town centre- entrance is opposite main entrance to the Harrogate Conference Centre passing the Royal Baths and Tourist Information Office and Pump Room Museum.) and up through the Pine Woods-
Information Office is a gold mine of information and the staff are very friendly.
Free walking tours daily from opposite the Tourist Office.
Days out By Car
On Leeds Road A61, a few mikes along the road towards Leeds is Harewood House - fantastic adventure playground for children, bird gardens and cafe - plenty of car parking - tours of the house- house belongs to the Queen’s cousins, she used to come and stay when she was younger.
Going towards Knaresborough on A59 is Mother Shiptons Cave - petrifying well and activities for children- located beside the river - cafe and parking
https://www.mothershipton.co.uk/
Knaresborough itself has a ruined castle and great views from around the castle. The town has markets on Wednesday - pretty market square with shops and cafes. Good car parks
Ripley lies on A61 towards Ripon - pretty model village and castle inhabited by the Ingleby family for 700 years - tours of castle 10-14 hrs daily - James 1st stayed here on his way south from Edinburgh to claim the English Crown - large deer park and gardens- restricted opening times - good bistro restaurant at Boars Head in the village square. Cafes and ice cream.
See their website -https://www.ripleycastle.co.uk/
Further along the road is Fountains Abbey -beautiful ruins of Cistercian abbey - National Trust Property so they lay on things for children - see their website for details.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden
Nearby are Brimham Rocks another National Trust Property - a large natural park- great for rock climbing and adventurous children
There are safe paths up to the top where you can find a cafe and book shop - great views across country - not recommended when it’s wet as it is exposed and can be treacherous.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brimham-rocks
Towards Wetherby is Stockeld Park -
To get there you will pass by Spofforth, a village with a ruined castle - we loved jumping off the walls and exploring when we were young as did our children- the castle is a a right hand turn from the main road after the church - looks like a T junction - left to Wetherby - right takes you through the village to the castle.
These are things we did with our own children.
Enjoy! And share your adventures!
